Cane



July 27, 1948. vG. B. I'DUSINBERRE CANE Filed Jan. 3l, 1947 abro/wmp Patented July 27, 1948 `UNITED STATES PATENTfQOFFICEN .l l i ,442.445.9424 Y 1 I. CANE` I George B. Dusinberre,.Wichita, Kans. l Applieatiqn Janar'yf'sl, 1947, serial No. 725,591

, 1 This invention relates to walking sticks or canes, particularly for the use of the blind, and in particular includes a walking stickhaving a crook forming a handle at the upper end and a roller in the `lower end wherein the rollermay be held stationary by a brake normally held in releasing position -by a spring and adapted to be applied by a trigger on the handle. I

`The purpose ofA this invention is to provide an laid for the blind that may be rolled along ahead of the individual to warn the user of obstructions, such as curbs, steps and the like, and which is provided with means for holding the roller stationary to aid. the user in going up and down steps and the like.

Because of unevenness of walks andthe like, a

blind person cannot run a cane along ahead of him, and for this reason is continuously tapping the walk or ground as he travels ahead. With this throught in mind, this invention contemplates a cane having a roller or wheel in the lower end wherein the end of the cane may readily be run along ahead of the user to eliminate the necessity of tapping and the like.

The object of this invention is to provide means for incorporating a roller or wheel in the end of a cane with means for locking or releasing the roller from the upper end of the cane Without adding materially to the weight of the cane.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for incorporating a roller or wheel in the end of a cane with braking means associated therewith wherein substantially all of the additional weight added by the actuating parts is located in the lower end of the cane.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for incorporating a roller with a manually controlled brake in the end of a cane without enlarging the size of the cane.

Another object of this invention isto provide means for incorporating a roller with a manually controlled brake therefor in a cane without making the appearance of the cane objectionable.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for incorporating-a roller with a manually controlled brake in a cane in which the cane with the operating instrumentalities associated therewith is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects in view, the invention embodies a tubular cane having a crook aclaims. (C1. 13s-47) at the upper end forming a handle, a socket with tioned to contact the surface of the roller. a spring inthe socket urging Athe brake away from the roller, a trigger pivotally mounted in the upper end of the cane, and an'actuating rod connecting the trigger to the brake element of the cane.`

Other features and advantages Vof the in ven' tion will appear from'the `following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a View showing a side elevation of the canewith parts broken away. `Figure 21's a view showing an end elevationhof thejcanel also with parts broken away.`

Figure 3 is`a detail showing a cross-section through the lower part of the cane with thelower ends of the socket andV roller broken away, and with` the upper portion of thecane also broken away# Figure 4 is a detail showing the upper end of the tubular element of the cane with the handle omitted and with parts broken away showing the mounting of the trigger therein.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like" reference characters indicate corresponding parts, the roller cane of this invention includes an elongated tubular element I0, a roller I Il and a trigger I2.

The tube I!) may be provided as shown with threads I3 at the upper end upon which a handle I 4 may be threaded, as shown in Figure 1, and the lower end may also be provided with threads I5 upon which a socket I6 may be screwed, as shown. The socket I6 is formed with downwardly extending arms I1 and I8, which have hubs I9 and 20 at their lower ends in which the roller II is rotatably mounted on a bolt 2|. The roller II is provided with a tire 22 of rubber or other resilient material, and in the upper part of the socket is a brake element 23 having a groove 24 in the lower surface thereof adapted to contact the outer surface of the tire 22. The brake 23 is secured on the lower end of a rod 25 by a screw 2B, and with a tension spring 21 positioned around the rod with one end of the spring secured to a Iwasher 28 and the other held on the screw 2E, the brake will be resiliently held upward so that the roller is released. When I it is desired to hold the roller stationary, the trigger I2 is pulled upward by the forenger of' a hand around the handle, and being pivotally mounted on a pin 29 in extending ears 30, and with the inner end thereof pivotally connected through a socket 3l and a pin 32 to the upper end of the rod 25, thev rod will be forced downward clamping the brake against the wheel.

The washer 28 is held in clamping relation through the tubular down steps;v the "irseig may drawvv the trigger. iup; ward so "that'the rollermay befclamped station-` ary, as illustrated and described.

It can be appreciated that the cane may be prol vided in different designs, and modifications may be made in the design or arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit Vvof ythe inven- Y I tion.

What is claimed is: 4 l

1. In a walking stick, a tubular staff,` a socket f with downwardly extending arms mounted on the lowerend ofthestaff, a ,wheelrotatably mounted i-nthe Alower ends of said `rdownwardly. extending arms, a braking elementslidably mounted inthe socket positioned to lcontact the surface of the roller,` means resiliently rurgingthe braking f element away from the roller, a trigger pivotally mounted inthe upperend of thestaif, and a 4rod pivotall-y :connected to the trigger extending through the staif'fto the braking element adapted to be actuated by the'trigger tovmove the braking element into .contaet with the roller for clamping action thereof.` p.

2. In a walkingstick, the combination, which comprises .a tubular staff, 1 a handle lat i ther upper end -of Tthestaff, a socket-with downwardly extending-armsmountedon the, lower end of the staif,a Wheel ,positioned between the downwardly extending arms of the socket, means rotatably -mounting -the Vwheel in lthe .lower ends of said a-rrvns,l a braking element slidably mountedin the socket Y.positioned to Contact the surface ofthe wheel, a spring urging ,said braking element away 4 from the wheel, a rod upon which said braking element is mounted extending upward through the staff to a point at the upper end thereof, and a trigger pivotally mounted in the upper end of the staff pivotally connected to the rod extending upward from the braking element.

3. In a Walking stick, the combination, which comprises an elongated tubular stai, a socket with downwardly extending arms threadedon the lower end of the staff, afroller positioned between the arrnsof the-socket; means rotatably mouning the roller in the lower ends of the arms of the Isocket, said roller having a rubber tire, a block ,slidably mounted between the arms of the socket positioned to contact the surface of the roller, a

:washerlarnped against a shoulder in the socket .bythe lower end of the staff, a tension spring connected to the Washer and block urging the blockjaway from the roller, a centrally disposed rod extending upward through the tubular staff with ,the lower end zconnectedrtolsaidiblock, a trigger, r'nivotallyfmountedy between extending ears at the pupperfend Sofi' said tubular sta'if with an extendingfhandle o'rithe exterior of the staff; and with ancperating extension extendinlg'into said tubular staff, means` pivotally connecting the 'operating extension 'of ,thetrigger to lthe upper end of said centrally disposed rodin the.' tubular straif, and a handle `threaded on `the upperend of the staff pcsitioned so that the tri'ggemaybe engaged by the' fore'finger of .ahand thereon.

' GEORGE yB. 'DUSINBERREjf REFERENEs -crrED The following `.referencesare. of record the leof this patent: i I

y UNITED STATES yin-Yrrrrfs Number` Name 4 Date 1,a5.4,088 .t Barchem .sept..captage 1,542,894` vLangner I June 23, 19:25 

